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Is 2014 the Year of the Bear? (Updated 6/12/2014)

Welcome to the Year of the Bear. Just when you thought it was safe to venture back into the woods, you'll find these guys on the prowl again.

In case you haven't heard, this duo made up of Raphael Rundell and Joe Goddard have announced their sophomore album, "The Night is Young." It's currently set for release in September on the Southern Fried imprint, and will serve as the follow-up to 2012's Be Strong."

The debut single off the record, "Angel (Touch Me)," rolled out April 29th with a big, brash piano house sound a pretty unforgettable vocal. It is just one of the 12 tracks slated for the new album, with other titles "Son of the Sun" and "Run Run Run" also listed (though we promise every title doesn't rhyme into the next).

The 2 Bears are currently in the middle of a 12-week residency at East London club XOYO, where they've invited the likes of Four Tet, Andrew Weatherall and Henrik Schwarz to play alongside them. The duo started their run on April 5th and it wraps June 28th, having followed a run by Eats Everything that ended on March 29th.

You may have missed some of the highlights of their time at XOYO, but it included nights with Huxley and Terrance Parker (May 19), Pachanga Boys (May 3rd), and Matias Aguayo (May 31). The 2 Bears will go out with a band at the end of June with an all-night set in Room One and Optimo playing in Room Two.

2 Bears on the loose (Created July 18, 2013)

They're a far cry from Yogi and Boo Boo, and a world removed from the Berenstain Bears. Still, Raf Rundell and Joe Goddard – aka The 2 Bears – have been mixing beats since first crossing paths in the DJ booths of a London town.

Formed in 2009, The 2 Bears officially met at a Greco-Roman soundsystem party. When a friend pitched to them the idea of becoming a trio, they ultimately formed as a two-piece outfit instead. It wasn't long before they started to produce an array of music that covers everything from Detroit techno and Chicago house music to hip hop, UK garage and bashment.

Rundell and Goddard quickly set about writing and producing three critically acclaimed EPs, all of which enjoyed strong national radio support from DJs like Fearne Cotton, Scott Mills, Greg James, Annie Mac, and many more. The first, "Follow the Bears," was released by Southern Fried Records in 2010, and was followed by the "Curious Nature EP" in the latter half of the year and "Bearhug" in early 2011.

The 2 Bears first album, "Be Strong," bowed on January 29, 2012 and was preceded by the release of the single "Work." It was included on the XFM playlist, and the overall project was followed by a mix album, "2 Bears, 1 Love," which featured Wiley, Toddla T, and other artists.
The 2 Bears motto is to conjure up the spirit of the dancefloor without pretension and with ultimate precision. Check them out during upcoming gigs in Norway, Portugal, England, Spain and Ireland.